Ok, first of all, if you're a non-smoker don't bother going. It's a so-called smoker's bar meaning…read morethat a: You have to join the club Don't worry - it's quite painless. b: You're allowed to smoke in the whole bar. There's no separation between smokers and non-smokers So, apart from that, I really like the place. The service is quick and bar staff are very attentive - which means you don't have to keep waving at them for a refill. It does get very full and very smokey - but I guess that the reason why one goes to a pub.!! There are a few comfy seats at the back which are a bit quieter - but do remember - this is a pub! If they do food, I didn't notice - But then again - Would you want to eat in a smokers bar?

plan b may be fine as a bar, but disappointing as a restaurant. we came the day after they had been…read morefeatured as a bar on a pub crawl tour, and they didn't have most of their common dinner menu items yet restocked a day later. so we ordered some beer and an appetizer. it took 45 minutes to have our bruschetta brought to us - and it didn't seem that they were all that busy. after finishing off the bruschetta, (which was good, but we were also hungry), we settled our bill, and went out to find dinner elsewhere. maybe their food is fine, but for us, we needed a plan b after going to plan b.

Had an excellent evening. Drinks were great and the service was quick. Be there early as the seats…read moreby the window are the best!

Usually my expectations on service are low in Germany (usually not bad but not as customer oriented…read moreas I would like to see) but at Balke they really managed to be really horrible. We came here in a Saturday evening when it was at most half-full. We places our cocktail orders and then waited, after 10 minutes when others who ordered after us got their cocktails (we ordered slightly more complex ones so we only saw gin tonics and run and coke delivered) we asked the waitress- response was just "I know, wait". Another 10 minutes went by and we once again asked and now were told they forgot - no apology just stating they forgot and that they would be straight up. Still no apology and then another 10 minutes had gone and we could see more cocktails being delivered to guests arriving after us. When we asked again they had not even started making the cocktails - so 30 mins or so wasted and no cocktails. Clearly no structure and to be a place that pretends to be into cocktails they just make simple stuff (they where only serving glasses of gin or rum and let the guests mix it tonic or coke themselves). We told them we were leaving - again no apology. Would not come back even if paid to.